Controlling 350D from Laptop

[iceman]

Hi

I've got a cable (courtesy RB, thanks!) which goes from the serial port to the side of my 350D, to allow me to control the camera using software like ImagesPlus, DSLRFocus etc.

I finally tried it today, but nothing is happening.

I'm using ImagesPlus Camera Control, and no camera appears in the list, and when I press "Connect" it comes up with an error.

Is there any settings I need to set in the camera?
Do I need to set anything on the laptop (Windows XP)?
Do I need to enable the serial port somehow? (I doubt i've used the serial port on this laptop before).

When I go into Device Manager->Ports, serial isn't listed (just shows COM1 and LPT). I did "Scan for Hardware Changes", and the red light on this box thing RB made flashes, but nothing new appears.
Is COM1 the serial port? Should Flow Control be set to anything?

Is there a sequence of events I need to do, in terms of turning camera on, plugging cable in, starting software?

Any help is appreciated!

[iceman]

The ImagesPlus help says that:

So do I need the USB cable instead?

[rogerg]

COM1 is the serial port you want. Default settings of flow control etc should be fine. Normally for DSLRFocus I:

1) power up PC and open DSLRFocus
2) turn on camera
3) PC detects the camera with usual canon software - close that
4) go in to DSLRFOcus and connect

then it's all ready to go ... until the battery gets low on the 350D (before the indicator says it's low... can be a bit problematic).

[JohnG]

Hi Mike

You don't say that you have both cables plugged in. You need them both plugged in otherwise the software will not pick the camera up.

Cheers

[RB]

Yes you need both cables connected to the camera.

I sometimes use it without the USB and just adjust the ISO etc manually.
Just connect the serial cable to a com port.

Go to:

Camera Control | Bulb Exposure Setup | Port setup

In the serial setup select your com port, set it to RTS and press Test Port.
The LED should blink and the shutter should activate (camera in Bulb mode)

Now you're ready to use it manually.
Go to:

Image Capture | Long exposure TAB | then setup your times or do a manual press and release sequence.

Just ignore the "no camera connected" warning.

But to fully utilize the features connect the USB too.

[iceman]

Are those instructions for DSLRFocus? I don't have that.

I'm trying to use ImagesPlus.

[iceman]

It can see it's a 350D, but when I click connect it says "Not supported" and then "Could not lock camera UI for operation. Is the LCD display on or camera busy?"

Then it says "RAW + Jpeg image quality not supported. Select RAW or Jpeg". But I do have it set as RAW.

And the LCD for the camera is showing the "Busy" flashing. Should it be doing this?

[JohnG]

Did you clear the port by pressing the Refresh tab and are you using the ED camera control for newer Canon models.

Cheers

[iceman]

It knows what camera it is, the battery level, firmware version etc, but once I click past those errors it disappears and all the other tabs have their buttons greyed out again.

[iceman]

Yes, I'm using the "ED camera control for newer Canon models".
The refresh buttons are greyed out.

[JohnG]

Hmmm, I will connect my camera up and try and see what you are doing.

Cheers

[iceman]

The only other thing I can think of, is that the cable RB made isn't quite right? Is it any different between a 300D and a 350D?

[JohnG]

Not that I am aware of, I use a Shoestring Astronomy DSUSB connection with my 350D.

[iceman]

The USB cable is all that's required for most of the controls, isn't it?

[JohnG]

Take the long exposure cable out, then try to connect with only the normal USB cable, if it connects OK then the problem is in that cable.

[JohnG]

With your long exposure cable, in the Bulb Capture tab, down the bottom is a drop down tab called Control Type, have you changed that to one of the Parallel Ports.

[iceman]

I changed that to COM1 - the serial port that my cable is in. That's right, isn't it?

I selected 350D from the other drop down and could configure the exposures, but when I clicked "release", it just didn't do anything on the camera.

[iceman]

I tried without the long exposure cable (using just the USB), and I get the same errors when I click connect.

The camera still flashes "Busy" - is that normal?

[JohnG]

Sorry, I thought it was a parallal cable, if your laptop dosen't have a proper serial port, you may have to go looking for it, from memory it is usually up around Com 5 or so.

[JohnG]

Odd, I will go through my connection sequence.

Plug in the USB cable, turn the camera on and wait until the EOS Utility appears, shut it down.

Open ImagesPlus, open the camera control, select ED Camera Control.

Hit connect, then Refresh.

Camera connected.

[iceman]

I go through the same process, and I get the 3 errors "Not Supported", "cannot lock UI" and "RAW+Jpeg" as described above.

The only things I can think of:
1) Trial version of ImagesPlus (CD hasn't arrived yet) - but unlikely, it should be fully functional.
2) I don't have the Canon utilities installed. But that shouldn't matter either - I can still browse the contents of the Compact Flash from Windows Explorer. It still shows up as a "Canon EOS 350D Digital" in Windows Explorer.

I guess I'll have to ask ImagesPlus support?

[RB]

Yes, those instructions are for DSLR Focus, I thought you had that too.




The cable was working flawlessly when it left here nearly two years ago Mike
and should work equally well on the 350D.
The 300D and 350D use the same plug.
I know DSLR Focus supports the 350D, I'm assuming Images Plus also supports the 350D.

I can only assume there's a conflict on your laptop.

[JohnG]

Do you have the latest Canon WIA driver installed, that is a requirement, not sure about EOS Utilities though.

Cheers

[iceman]

John, does your camera flash "Busy" all the time while it's connected?

[JohnG]

No Mike., just has the normal information on the screen.

[[1ponders]]

Mike do you have Canon remote capture installed? What setting is your camera dial set on?

If you don't have Canon Utilities installed it is unlikely you have remote capture installed. This is needed by any program that operates the camera, K3, DSLR Focus, Maxim DSLR etc

[iceman]

hmm this could be a problem then? Mine says "Busy" all the time.


No, I don't have it installed.
The dial is on "M". What should it be on?


Can I download remote capture? Or is it on the original CD's? (which I'd need to go and find! :eyepop:

[JohnG]

Mike, you can get the latest WIA driver and Remote Capture from the Canon website

http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras/digital_slr/eos350dblackbody_support.aspx

Cheers

[[1ponders]]

M is right. I think not having remote capture installed is your problem.

It's all on the disk. I'd suggest installing everything in the utilities except zoom browser and Camera Window.

[iceman]

Installing now (found my CD).

Will let you know.

Cheers

[iceman]

SUCCESS!

Not only was the install of the software needed, but I also needed to set the "Communication" to "PC Connection" on the Camera itself!

All working now, thanks very much for your help!

[[1ponders]]

:doh: forgot about that one :P

[RB]

:)

[iceman]

Well all going swimmingly now..

ImagesPlus is setup, remotely capturing 10x60s exposures of NGC253 - my first galaxy shot! I hope they turn out :)

I balanced the scope properly this time, so 60s unguided seems to be keeping the stars mostly round without trailing. So far so good.

[iceman]

Transparency is shocking! But I can see a galaxy :)

Finished taking the lights, taking some dark frames now. Of course I forgot to put the cap on the telescope for the first 1 and a half dark exposures :doh:

[[1ponders]]

Ah yes, my first galaxy. I remember it well. Centaurus A I believe it was...or was it M31 :love: .....or maybe it was the SMC (does that count :P ) .....and somewhere in there I recall a widefield 253. Ah memories :lol: :poke:

Have a great time mate. After this you wont even consider going back to the "other side" of imaging :D

[h0ughy]

what a pile of info within this post!!! glad you are up and running Mike

[netwolf]

Hi Mike, Can these cables be purchased locally?

Regards
Fahim

[iceman]

Hi Fahim

The USB cable comes with the camera. The long exposure one, I'm not sure. Probably best to start a new thread and ask.